In the gospel of St. John (8:12) Jesus told his disciples "I am the light of the world, anyone who follows me will not be walking in darkness but will have the light of life." Jesus also told his disciples that: "You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people's feet. You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put under a tub; they put it on the lamp stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in people's sight, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your father in heaven." (Mt.5:13-16).
Now how are we expected to shine this light? It is by a life of faith, trust, hope, fortitude, and perseverance, even at times of great tribulation. It is by living a life of love and justice, and by taking seriously the message of Jesus in Mt.25:31-46: that is, caring for the poor, the hungry, the weak, the orphan, the despised, the stranger, and the victims of all sorts of injustice. Our light must shine through the pursuit of human rights, the defence of human dignity and the promotion of freedom and abundant life for all in our society. The Christian is called upon to be a sign of contradiction in a world of darkness and sin. For a corrupt, violent, materialistic, hedonistic and consumeristic society, the Christian is called upon to shine out the light of holiness, love, purity of heart, mercy, kindness and peacefulness. This is the way to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
The circumstances of today's Nigeria challenge those of us who constitute the Christian elite to act as the conscience of the nation. The Nigerian Christian elite must assume their responsibility as salt of the earth and light of the world. The Christian elite must be forthright and consistent in denouncing individual evil and evil structures in our society. The Christian elite must cry out loud enough for the leadership of Nigeria to be compelled to do something about our primitive penal system, our inhuman prison conditions, and our treatment of ex-convicts. The Christian elite must stand alongside the oppressed, the impoverished, the marginalized, those denied their just rights and those discriminated against. The Christian elite is called upon to champion the cause of the handicapped and the homeless and the destitute. We are called upon to defend the right of poor workers to just wage, to health insurance, and to adequate retirement benefits. We called upon to be in the forefront of the struggle to rid Nigeria of military dictatorship and the structural injustices that have constituted a superstructure of violence over our motherland.
The Christian elite must at all times resist the temptation to apathy and despondency. We must always rise up and be counted on the side of reason, truth and justice, for we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. The Christian elite must be patriotic but fearless Christians who will demonstrate to the men and women of this land that a true patriot is one who cares deeply about the happiness and well-being of his country and all its people; not one who sings the praises of the leaders. We must demonstrate love for our country not by sycophancy, not by paid solidarity visits, but by demanding the highest standards from our leaders and by accepting nothing but the best for and from our people. We must be ready to stand up on and be counted on the side of truth, even as falsehood reigns in the land.
Many Nigerians want to live in a land where there is justice, democracy, good governance and prosperity, but they are not prepared to make the necessary sacrifices. Many Nigerians want peace to reign in this land, but they are unwilling to pay the high price which the pursuit of peace demands. The cost of peace is a lifestyle of sacrifice. Peace does not come on a platter of gold, but through a crown of thorns. The peace maker must be ready to pay the costly price of atonement for the multiple violence that currently make peace impossible in our land. Being salt in a corrupt world, and being light in a world of darkness is no easy task. The cost of maintaining truth in a world of falsehood is quite high, yet the true disciple of Christ cannot run away from this sacrifice.
True, many Nigerian Christians have paid only lip service to the social imperative of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We have often lived like hypocrites, preferring to have our little pleasures and comforts, rather than rocking the boat and getting hurt. We have often avoided as much as possible any occasion of confrontation with the status-quo, even when we can see clearly that the status-quo is made up of unjust and evil structures. To that extent we have betrayed our Christian prophetic calling. We have often forgotten the beatitude, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Mt.5:10). Jesus Christ had warned all disciples of truth that, "You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you thy will put to death; you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish. By your endurance you will gain your lives.(Lk 21:12-19).
The Christians of Nigeria have for too long been complacent, conformist, apathetic and despondent. They have been too weak to stand up and be counted on the side of truth. But today we are being challenged to abandon the posture of complacency. The embarrassing socio-political realities of our day are a constant reminder that if we do not stand up for something we shall fall for anything. Many Nigerians, including many highly placed Christians have fallen by the way side. They have fallen for power, they have fallen for pleasure, they have fallen for money. Greed for money and lust for power have robbed many of our brothers and sisters of their Christian consciences. That is why they are able to rent themselves out as instruments in the hands of oppressors of God's children. That is why they do not hesitate to show solidarity with deceitful leaders. That is why they applaud fraudsters and sing the praises of dictators. But the resurrection of Christ should always be a reminder to Christians that truth has overcome falsehood, and that though liars may prosper in an evil age, the reign of falsehood is short-lived. Christians must be convinced that evil doers shall share the fate of Satan, the patron of evil; that liars shall perish with the devil the father of lies. It is the prerogative of Christians to study the phenomenon of fraud and falsehood in our socio-political and economic set-up, to identify the lie wherever it rears its head, to warn society of its devastating potential, and to champion the cause of combating and dislodging the structures of falsehood.
The Nigerian Christian elite have a responsibility to shape the direction of their society. We cannot be passive onlookers in the unfolding of events in their country. We must keep up the light even in the midst of the storm. We must keep the dream of justice alive as long as the darkness lasts. We must continue to hunger for righteousness even as we are daily confronted with endemic corruption and chronic oppression. We must dissociate ourselves from the prevalent structures in our country that are structures of violence and death. We must not only denounce all authority structures that oppress, intimidate, alienate and impoverish people, but also we must make a definite commitment to the evolution of alternative social, economic and political structures that will make for justice, good governance, peace and prosperity.
Those of us who genuinely seek peace for our country must be ready to pay the price for peace, which sometimes may include martyrdom. We must reject the culture of indiscipline, crass materialism, conspicuous consumption, greed, selfishness, economic exploitation, social discrimination, arbitrary rule, false propaganda, capital punishment, etc., which today make peace impossible. We must take up the challenge of conceiving, promoting and enthroning alternative socio-economic and political structures which will make for peace, with all the resources at our disposal. We must be ready to commit our resources to programmes and projects aimed at educating and empowering the poor, freeing those unjustly held captive, pulling down walls of hatred and building bridges across the rivers of ethnic, religious and social hostilities.
Finally, we recognise along with the Psalmist that unless the Lords builds the house, the labourer labours in vain, and unless the Lord watches over the city, the sentries watch in vain. (Ps 127:1). And indeed Jesus told his disciples in John 15:5 that "cut off from me you can do nothing. We believe that the Lord who enabled his disciples to bear fearless witness to His name, will grant committed Nigerian Christians the abiding presence and power of the Spirit which they need to be authentic witnesses for truth and justice in this country. Even as we struggle through the present darkness, may those committed to His name find His light and His peace.
